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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23625415">kojo and akatsuki scraps</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gojosatoru/pseuds/gojosatoru'>gojosatoru</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>my ocs [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>No Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:00:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>12,456</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23625415</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gojosatoru/pseuds/gojosatoru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>i wrote this because they're my favorite couple that's not a couple.<br/>big/relevant details: akatsuki ito and kojo dakarai abara are two juniors with superpowers called abilities attending the same school for heroes in training. akatsuki can control wind and is apart of one of four really important and powerful families. shes an only child and was raised in germany. kojo has perfect aim w anything (bow and arrow, gun, etc.) and he has a little sister and hes from south africa.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>my ocs [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2007940</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>soft bandaging of a wound scene that goes on for wayyyy longer than the bandaid</p><p>needs editing/proofing</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"i'm gonna braid your hair," she announced.</p><p>"no the fuck you're not,"</p><p>she hummed and dragged her hand from the top of his scalp to the bottom slowly, eliciting a much calmer response than she expected. he grumbled a 'you're insufferable' and turned his head to the side to look out the window angrily. in other words, he didn't mind it at all.</p><p>"physically, you've been pretty tense since you've come back too, you know, based on your body language. what happened at that invitational, kojo?"</p><p>she continued tentatively running her hands through his silky faded purple hair, still partially scared he'd freak out over it.</p><p>"nothing relevant," the younger of the two looked at her framed painting on the wall. </p><p>"so...something <em>ir</em>relevant happened," she reasoned, "and i'm curious about it, is that so bad?"<br/>
</p><p>he tilted his neck up and gazed at her with his deep ruby red eyes. they had only small flecks of bright orange this time, the red completely taking over his irises in the low lighting of her room. he had decided something in that moment.</p><p>"i hate you," he muttered, reaching for the bottom of his shirt, "you're not squeamish or whatever, right?"</p><p>"not particularly,"</p><p>he lifted the right side of his black t-shirt up to his collarbone and akatsuki's eyes widened.</p><p>"this happened on the last day."</p><p>there was a beat of silence.</p><p>"you're being dumb," she concluded, analyzing the long cut that ran from his peck to past his bellybutton.</p><p>"excuse me, bitch?!"</p><p>"you've been training with this huge injury as though nothing is wrong— that's dumb, kojo! it hasn't even scabbed over yet!"</p><p>he pulled down the fabric so it was covered again, "stop freaking out, it's fine,"</p><p>"it's clearly not, you're moving around it differently to the point that i noticed, which means it must be painful."</p><p>"no shit, but it'll eventually go away and you're the only one that's noticed, so you're the only one that knows. it's not worth any drama."</p><p>she ignored his comment, "how'd it even happen?"</p><p>"on the last day we had a bunch of five person battles that were basically every man for himself."</p><p>"so you got beat," she jeered with a raised brow.</p><p>"hell no, i won every round i signed up for,just who do you think I am?!" he challenged back, "but this one person was just clumsy as fuck. they had a big ass scythe and turned around without thinking, like the dumbass they are, and cut me. and then they had the nerve to cry about it, even though they didn't even get hurt...weak bitches are so irritating."</p><p>"a scythe— you were sliced open with a scythe and didn't think to tell anyone?"</p><p>"i told you its fine, it wasn't even that deep-"</p><p>"i'm bandaging you up, take off your shirt, since you're being very kojo-like about this." </p><p>"fuck you too!"</p><p>she was out of her bed in a heartbeat. that tanzanite colored braid of hers trailed behind her as she went over to her dresser and opened the bottom drawer.</p><p>"you are so irritating, a band-aid isn't gonna do shit. stop overreacting already," he groaned, moving to sit on her bed.</p><p>she pulled out a huge black case from the drawer and lugged it across the room, placing next to him on the mattress.</p><p>"have you put anything on it since the incident?"</p><p>"no, why the hell would i?"</p><p>she looked at him, more exasperated than ever. she was earnestly debating just knocking him out and fixing him up to save time.</p><p>"so it doesn't get infected, kojo."</p><p>"i wouldn't let it get infected."</p><p>"so you put a disinfectant on it every day then?"</p><p>"no,"</p><p>"...of course not," she stated in a matter-of-fact manner.</p><p>"if it gets you to shut up, then fine. put some neosporin and band-aid on it, i don't care." he huffed out.</p><p>the eldest popped open the personalized first aid kit from her parents and it unfolded like a tiered tackle box.</p><p>"a bejeweled and tiered first aid kit with your name engraved in it in blue? really? just how rich and spoiled are you, goddess?"<br/>
she frowned, leaving to turn on the overhead light, "i asked for a simple kit from any regular store but my mother insisted on making one herself. she gets bored often,"</p><p>in the new light, kojo removed his shirt and tossed it on the floor, thus revealing the wound in its entirety. akatsuki was able to see how it tore through the top of his peck and dragged along his abdomenal muscles, curving like the letter 'c' and ending just above his hips. <br/>
she pumped out a dollop of hand sanitizer found in the top left tier of the case and took the bottle of isopropyl alcohol and a handful of cotton balls from the crate.<br/>
then she was awkwardly standing in front of him.</p><p>"i-" she stuttered, "can you-"</p><p>"what?"</p><p>"i think it'll be easier if you lay down because your," she coughed, "muscles will relax more and the cut won't be bunched up." </p><p>he flopped back on the bed and gazed up at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes, "you're awfully thorough for a cut that isn't even yours,"</p><p>akatsuki maneuvered a way to sit on the bed next to him while still next to the supplies she needed. the wind user doused one of the cotton clumps in the clear alcohol.</p><p>"you're hurt, whether you admit it or not, so i want to help. this first step is gonna sting, however," she added before dabbing the cotton on the wound carefully. his body noticeably stiffened but he didn't say anything.</p><p>after a minute or two she spoke up, "almost done, i'm just going to run over it one more time,"</p><p>akatsuki did as she said she would and then tossed the cotton ball into the nearby wastebasket, "that part's over now," she took out the hydrogen peroxide and continued with the process she knew a bit too well, unbothered by the silence.</p><p>"you said you know nothing about me," he suddenly mentioned.</p><p>"i did," she replied simply.</p><p>he was pensive for a moment then spoke up again.</p><p>"my dad was the hero daz back in the 90s and early 2000s,"</p><p>"the hero with the lava power?"</p><p>"yeah,"</p><p>she patiently waited to see if he'd open up more while she applied hydrogen peroxide with another cotton ball.</p><p>"he died saving 103 hostages in a brussels terrorist attack."</p><p>"i didn't know that, i...i'm so sorry, kojo. seriously, that's a lot to take in and deal with, even at our age now,"</p><p>"don't...i don't like being pitied and i'm not the one who died," he closed his eyes but went on, "i was 5 when that happened. my mom said that it was supposed to be the last job he ever took before retiring...he wanted to spend more time with me and be a better father, so he was going to retire."</p><p>she took pause at this, "he sounds like a good man, despite his own doubts."</p><p>"you stopped," he commented subtly. she jolted and made use of the antibiotic ointment in her lap.</p><p>"is he why you want to be a hero?"</p><p>"no, i always wanted to be a hero but my reason for wanting to be number one changed when he died. i want to be the number one hero in the world, like he was for 3 consecutive years. it sucks knowing that he left this earth, thinking he failed me. he was the best dad anyone could've asked for, honestly."</p><p>"i'm sure he knows, he's probably looking down on you now,"</p><p>he peeked at the girl taking care of him, long braid tossed over her shoulder while she sported a calm frown.</p><p>"i also like biltong,"</p><p>"what's that?"</p><p>"it's a south african food. it's like beef jerky but actually good."</p><p>"oh,"</p><p>kojo blinked and offered half a smile with a shrug, "now you can't say i never told you anything."</p><p>"...do you know how to make biltong, like, can you make it yourself?"</p><p>"that's a dumb question, i can do anything."</p><p>"i can't," she shrugged in utter honesty, "nor can most people. in fact, i don't think i'd know what i'm doing right now if i hadn't been in similar situations as a child <em>because</em> i was so bad at something. but you'll have to make it sometime so i can try it,"</p><p>"you were sliced with a scythe as a child?" he asked, clearly doubtful, "was it remi's crazy ass?"</p><p>she giggled again, "no, of course not! i was trained on how to fight with a spear for tribe-related reasons and i was clumsy so i got scuffed up a lot. actually-"</p><p>"wait, stop. you <em>were</em> clumsy? you mean, this is the <em>un</em>-clumsy version of you?! fuck, you probably accidentally killed a man with that spear."</p><p>"no, but i was going to say that's actually how i got this unsightly scar on my face. i had scraped myself with a flaming spear when i was younger and that was the last time i got to use any of the enchanted gear, to this day. that incident aside, i've still never had a cut as deep as yours, this'll definitely leave a mark for a long while."</p><p>akatsuki added one last piece of tape to finish securing the gauze pads by his left oblique muscle.</p><p>"all done," she grinned at her patch work on his chest, "and am i really that uncoordinated still?"</p><p>"yes," kojo sat up slowly and looked at the bandages, unimpressed, "don't i have to take this off every damn night just for a shower?"</p><p>"no, just wrap it in plastic to keep it dry,"</p><p>he tilted his head, "sounds like a piece of work,"</p><p>"i think you're the piece of work,"</p><p>he lazily collapsed onto his back, so he was now laying parallel with the bed. the room's atmosphere seemed to be the most comfortable place in the world at that moment. it simultaneously dawned on them that they could be truly vulnerable here.</p><p>"you're quiet,"</p><p>"you're one to talk," he flicked his eyes up in her direction, thick lashes blocking the edges of his vision. his eyes followed the scar under her cheekbone, "an enchanted spear?"</p><p>"yeah, i was so bummed when i was first banned from using them but looking back, i was just not good at it at <em>all</em>."</p><p>"didn't they train you on a regular spear? what's so different?"</p><p>"a lot," she laughed, "enchanted gear are weapons specially made to have a specific ability, obviously, but the ability's output level is solely based on the energy input from the one using it. so its critical to maintain a stable energy input into the tool or else you can get hurt from energy flares and drop-offs. it's similar to a gas fireplace and it's key. but that whole concept is really hard to teach a six-year-old, so i'm not shocked i didn't get it, they tried to teach me too early."</p><p>"you're shitting me...they seriously started working you right out the womb like that? did they really expect you to get it that early?"</p><p>"well, it was pretty obvious i was to be the sole heir of the ito tribe, which meant there was no backup plan if i wasn't fit for the role, and i had to be able to fight better than any of our other warriors to fulfill that role. it seemed logical to start as soon as possible."</p><p>"logical, my ass, you didn't get a childhood. and what do you mean, 'obvious'?"</p><p>"my parents waited longer than most to have me, which was already a sign that they probably didn't want more than two kids. and then they clearly weren't rushing to have another, seeing as four years later my parents still hadn't mentioned wanting another baby. so by those standards, it was undeniable; by four, i was recognized as the sole heir."</p><p>"that's kinda shitty, if you ask me, none of that should matter until you're at least 10."</p><p>she shrugged, it was all in the past anyways.</p><p>"you can fight with a regular spear though, right?"</p><p>"yeah, it's my best tool besides myself, why?"</p><p>"why don't you use it then?"</p><p>"i want to be strong without any weapons first. i enjoy using it but i don't ever want to use it as a crutch. one day, after the tribe is mine, i'll probably overrule my banning and learn how to use different types of enchanted gear again but until then...i don't see the need,"</p><p>"when you finally get around to accepting my formal challenge, make sure to use a spear when we fight," he yawned casually.</p><p>"huh? why?"</p><p>"because i want to fight you at your absolute best, if that means you use all the crutches in the world and a fucking visual aid, then so be it, i don't care. i want a good fight."</p><p>she tossed the idea around in her head with pursed lips. he was glad to see her at least considering it so he continued, "i mean, i <em>know</em> you have one here. your parents don't seem like the type to quietly respect your decision and let you leave home without one, no questions asked. they probably got pushy about it and then mailed you one a week after you got here or something,"</p><p>the girl with tanzanite colored hair snickered to herself and reached under the bed, pulling up a slim black bag. despite pretending to be bored by it, he watched while she slid the alleged spear out of the bag.</p><p>"probably custom too, right, goddess?"</p><p>she smoothed her hands over the cool black metal, stopping right above the foot long blade to feel the engraved text.</p><p><br/>
'<em>for the firstborn child of the 209th ito tribe chieftain mostafa ito, </em><br/>
<b><em>AKATSUKI ITO</em></b><em>.</em>'</p><p>"mostafa? is your dad egyptian?"</p><p>"he was born in zagazig, but never lived there,"</p><p>he made a sort of satisfied laugh mixed with a snort and while she rotated the tool in her grasp. <br/>
her hand rested on the white spearhead and upon contact, slightly tinier letters suddenly appeared along the sharp edge:</p><p><br/>
'<em>you have a strong heart that will guide you off the beaten path. </em><br/>
<em>don't count it troublesome, but instead follow it for better or for worse. </em><br/>
<em>-grandmother-</em>'</p><p>"how the fuck...?"</p><p>"my grandmother was a blacksmith before she married into the bloodline. she had a power that allowed her to control metals and found peculiar ways to use it, like this hidden message," akatsuki removed her hand and the lettering faded instantly, "it only responds to my hand. she made a lot of enchanted and regular weapons in her spare time, so i asked her to make one for me, as opposed to one of the in-house blacksmiths, and she was elated."</p><p>"your life is fucking bizarre, you know that?"</p><p>"i know," she placed the six-foot spear in the space between her bed and nightstand and tucked the bag under the bed again, "i'll spar with you using my spear, but i won't formally challenge you with it. i stand by what i said,"</p><p>"weak, but i'll take it, i guess."</p><p>"by the way, they had sent it to me a month after i got here, not a week,"</p><p>"wow, so much restraint, one day they might actually let your decide something for yourself."</p><p>she laughed again, "i half-expected you to bolt out the door when i finished with the cut, not fall asleep in my bed,"</p><p>"you act like i've never spent a single moment of time with you,"</p><p>"only because i make you,"</p><p>"please, you couldn't make me do anything if you tried," he snorted.</p><p>she looked down at him, confused, but he just picked up her braid and messed around with it aimlessly.</p><p>he suddenly asked, "have you ever cut it?"</p><p>"my hair?" akatsuki inquired and the boy mumbled back a simple 'yeah'.</p><p>"only once, when i was 5 and decided to take a pair of scissors to the back of my head— i still haven't told my parents and probably won't...ever."</p><p>"why? you think they'll freak out over something that small?"</p><p>"ito warriors are known for their lengthy hair, we believe our hair is holds a large part of our strength and we take pride in it. so long as you carry the honor of being an ito tribe warrior, you are forbidden to cut your hair. it's only makes sense for those with close to the throne to respect and take part in that pride as well."</p><p>"i'm learning so much about your tribe right now, i feel like a test is coming up," kojo joked, but instead of laughing, she looked at him like she was disappointed.</p><p>"sorry, i was being a bit long-winded without realizing,"</p><p>he bursted out laughing, "who apologizes for talking to their friend about the most basic shit? what, are we just gonna sit in silence? you're so formal sometimes it doesn't even make sense, goddess!"</p><p>"hey, i thought i was boring you!"</p><p>"if you were boring me, i'd tell you, dumbass, and you know that," he kept laughing and the other rolled her eyes. he settled down and explained, "i didn't say it was a problem, right? we're just talking and your family keeps coming up, i'm not actually upset. if i didn't want to know, i wouldn't keep asking so don't apologize."</p><p>she nodded and seemed less offended.</p><p>"...you know, they probably knew about it," kojo teased, still in a playful mood, "that chunk of hair you cut out was probably impossible to hide."</p><p>"maybe, but why ask and find out? it's just a lecture waiting to happen."</p><p>his reply was an understanding head tilt and a snort.</p><p>"putting aside how you just laughed at me for a minute straight," she started, "you're really nice company when you're not yelling at me to fight you,"</p><p>"well, if you-"</p><p>"if i did it, then you wouldn't have to keep asking," she had a knowing glare and a grin to match.</p><p>kojo shrugged, "you brought it up,"</p><p>the wind user moved so her back was against the headboard and reached for her phone. there was a dozen new messages from the group chat made by the girls of the class and a text from her mom. she ignored the memes of the 'dancing queens' group chat and went right to her mom's message.</p><p><em>from: mother</em><br/>
<em>hello akatsuki, </em><br/>
<em>i hope your studies are going well. </em><br/>
<em>will you be coming home this weekend? your staff misses you. </em>❤️<em> (i learned how to use emojis!)</em></p><p><em>to: mother</em><br/>
<em>hi mom. please tell maxwell and ariana that i'll make a point to send them both a letter with lots of updates soon. and again, please stop calling them my staff, it's degrading considering all they've done.</em><br/>
<em>also, i'm too busy trying to balance my training hours and studying hours to come home this weekend, sorry.</em><br/>
<em>(you're doing great </em>❣️<em>)</em></p><p>
  <em>from: mother</em><br/>
<em>it's not degrading when it's their job, akatsuki. i'll let them know.</em><br/>
<em>furthermore, you're at the top of your class, no? can you not afford to come visit your family at least once a month like last year?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>to: mother </em><br/>
<em>i've decided to pick up my spear again and i have to get back up to the level i was once at, hence, extra training. also, i can't afford to get complacent with my class ranking, that's the fastest way to lose it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>from: mother</em><br/>
<em>okay, do try to see us before your next break, though.</em><br/>
<em>what made you pick up your spear again? i'm so glad to hear that!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>to: mother</em><br/>
<em>i'll still prioritize strengthening my natural gifts to the best of my ability so that i won't ever need a weapon, but a friend wanted to see me at my absolute best, so i agreed to spar with them, spears and all. but that's it for now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>from: mother</em><br/>
<em>stubborn as always, but i'm glad your good friend was able to change your mind even it was only a little bit. kojo, was it?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>to: mother</em><br/>
<em>i never said which friend it was</em>
</p><p><em>from: mother</em><br/>
<em>you didn't have to </em>😉</p><p><em>to: mother</em><br/>
<em>nosey as always. </em>❤️<br/>
<em>(draft)</em></p><p>akatsuki sighed heavily and put her phone back on her nightstand, pushing the frustration of that conversation to the back of her mind altogether. her mother had always been pushy and nosey, it was nothing new. she stood to return the first aid kit to her dresser.</p><p>"i like you sometimes," the other murmured unexpectedly, shifting his gaze away from her back.</p><p>"yeah?"</p><p>"i said it, didn't i?"</p><p>"you're so aggressive, even with compliments," she laughed, joining him on the bed again. she was slouching against the headboard once more, while the remnants of her smile faded.</p><p>"i just say what's on my mind, and not a lot of people are used to that. i'd much rather be brutally honest than fake and polite to save someone's ego...you're kinda the same way, you always say what your thinking, eventually. i just fight to get it out of you in a timely manner,"</p><p>"really?"</p><p>"yeah, sometimes you try dress it up all nice-like,  beat around the bush, or even act like you have nothing to say, but you will inevitably say the ugly truth all the same. at the end of the day, neither one of us will lie to protect someone's feelings. you should know that about yourself, goddess."</p><p>"oh,"</p><p>"don't think about it too hard, you're gonna hurt yourself."</p><p>"i'll trust you on that then,"</p><p>"good,"</p><p>"...i like you too,"</p><p>"of course you do,"</p><p>"though i recognize you're a tad bit cocky," she added jokingly, watching him rearrange himself on the bed.</p><p>"better than not recognizing my own strength,"</p><p>she smiled at the way he was cuddling one of her decorative pillows. it was something he'd never be caught doing in his normal, more-awake state, because it showed that he has a vulnerable side. when his eyelids got heavy enough to finally close and his breathing started to settle, akatsuki couldn't help but find this version of him so endearing. she was so enamored, that it made her feel wrong; wrong for watching him sleep and wrong for thinking things she could never tell him without potentially ruining their friendship.<br/>
as if on cue, kojo's eyes opened slightly and looked right at her. this was the first time he's ever looked at her so intently yet without malice, his gaze completely void of any trace of rivalry and instead filled with something she couldn't recognize. she felt a blast of warmth come across her cheeks, suddenly embarrassed.</p><p>"caught ya'. i must be more interesting than i thought," he had a teasing grin.</p><p>he somehow managed to always be a bit of an asshole, even in his sleep.</p><p>"go to sleep, you're tired, and before you say it...i know i can't tell you what to do."</p><p>the eldest of the two got up from the bed slowly and he closed his eyes again, giving her hope that he would actually sleep finally.</p><p>"thanks, 'tsuki... for the band-aid," he mumbled into the pillow with his smile now hidden.</p><p><em>'guess not' </em>she shrugged off the thought while rearranging the items on her dresser, "anytime, just don't try to hide it again, that was a waste of time."</p><p>"d'you remember what my first name means?" he randomly quizzed, making her turn back and look at him.</p><p>"it means happiness,"</p><p>"i let my family call me it, because they really are my happiness...but the name kojo roughly translates to 'born on a monday'. in comparison to my family, everyone else is just equivalent to a random day of the week to me. that's why i go by kojo...i won't be mad if you call me dakarai."</p><p>she was so caught off guard by the clear implication he just made about their friendship that she was stuck staring at his half-asleep body on her bed like a crazy person.</p><p>he added his signature line, "don't make it weird, i can tell you're about to be a sappy dumbass about it, it's just a name."</p><p>the worry dropped out of her like a kick to the gut.</p><p>"you should really sleep, dakarai, you might get meaner without it."</p><p>"yeah, yeah,"</p><p>akatsuki picked up the spear by her bed and tiptoed to her balcony doors, making a point to slowly open them to avoid any unnecessary noise. once the doors were open, she sat on the slim rail meant to protect her and let her legs dangle like a child. she absentmindedly practiced spinning the pole between her two hands like old times. she was rusty at best and knew it. fumbling over her fingers a few times, she thought about how attentive kojo was when she answered his questions. he was quite the character, she decided, because although he constantly claims to not care about anything but winning he rarely makes good on that mantra. he laid on her bed, listening to her ramble about her family for a full hour with barely an interruption, and for some reason that made her heart happy. she smiled to herself before realizing she wad now spinning even slower than when she started.</p><p>"you have a death wish or something? sitting on that bar like that?"</p><p>she stopped the spear's rotation to tuck it under her arm and replied without thinking, "the wind favors me, if i lose my balance, it will catch me."</p><p>she looked up and saw a tall boy with tan skin and a mess of thick brown curls on his head floating right before her very eyes.</p><p>"is that your ability? air manipulation?"</p><p>"wind manipulation,"</p><p>"that sounds like fun. hey, i should probably introduce myself. i'm jackson miles, i'm a fourth year here at lepage."</p><p>"akatsuki," she nodded.</p><p>"oh wait, you're the ito girl! i should've known from the hair," he joked,"i'm a part of the nadiata family!"</p><p>"your last name is miles."</p><p>"i changed it when i turned 18 a few months ago. i've never liked the immortal clan rivalries and i didn't feel any strong emotional attachment to our history because, to me, we're just too barbaric for our own good. not to mention, i'm the youngest of three, meaning i'm not an heir or even next in line. so i decided to free myself of that life."</p><p>"how did your family handle it? if you don't mind me asking,"</p><p>"my parents think it's a phase, but my brothers are cool with it. there's not much any of them can do about it anyways, it's my life first and foremost."</p><p>"wow, that's really...i- good for you."</p><p>"what about you?" he asked, "i mean, i think at both know how different it is being of immortal blood, but i can't imagine the amount of pressure you must be under as the sole heir. do you ever just wanna get away from it all or is that just me?"</p><p>"that's what i'm trying to do now,"</p><p>"oh...oh, i'm sorry. that was a bit intrusive of me, forget i even asked."</p><p>"thanks... i don't know many other people who can levitate, is your power similar to air manipulation or something?"</p><p>"not really, i can alter the effects of physics on my body. to fly, all i have to do is reduce the effects of gravity, like i'm doing right now."</p><p>"sounds broad,"</p><p>"it has its perks," he smiled.</p><p>"do you fly at night a lot too?"</p><p>"yeah, it's really calming,"</p><p>his phone lit up in his pocket and he read the screen before frowning, "i gotta run, but it was nice meeting you. let's spar sometime or get coffee or something, yeah? i get the feeling we're really similar."</p><p>"sure, but i don't have any way of contacting you,"</p><p>"oh, right. i'll figure something out! i'll see you around, akatsuki!" he flew opposite the way he came and around the building like a rocket.</p><p>"who the hell was that?" kojo yawned from behind her.</p><p>"a fourth year named jackson. i just met him but he said he's like me."</p><p>"what, is he weird?"</p><p>"he was born into the nadiata family, another immortal family."</p><p>"oh..." he turned his back to her, "get off that rail, you're asking to fall,"</p><p>"i want a donut," she thought aloud, hopping off and onto the carpet.</p><p>"then get a donut, the fuck?" he was analyzing the giant bandage on his chest in her dresser mirror. he didn't seem to like it much, trying to flatten the area that puffed up in the middle. </p><p>"come with me, there's a place two blocks from here and it's open 24/7."</p><p>"you don't ever follow the curfew, do you?"</p><p>"it's silly,"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>kojo being nice and soft<br/>tw//heavy mentions of cancer, mentions of death, a lil heavy tbh but still fluff</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>kojo roughly dropped his lunch tray on the table before sitting across from her, "accept my challenge, bitch."</p><p> </p><p>"hi, kojo."</p><p> </p><p>there was a pause.</p><p> </p><p>"why aren't you mad," he demanded, "you're usually irritated when i say that."</p><p> </p><p>"i am, don't worry,"</p><p> </p><p>again, he waited for the rest of her quip or protest but it never came.</p><p> </p><p>"if you're gonna act weird, i'm leaving-"</p><p> </p><p>she grabbed his sleeve before he could finish getting up.</p><p> </p><p>"my grandmother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and i just found out last night...please."</p><p> </p><p>kojo really read the look on her face before starting to stuff his food in his backpack.</p><p> </p><p>"pack your shit, we're gonna eat somewhere else."</p><p> </p><p>"where?"</p><p> </p><p>"a place. it's not far, we'll be back before our lunch ends."</p><p> </p><p>she didn't press further, seeing as she never gets her way with him anyways, and grabbed her lunch as well.</p><p> </p><p>kojo took her on a several minute walk behind the academy's main campus. she didn't find the silence between them awkward but respectful of the elephant in the room between them. she opted to looking out at the tall grasses until they came across a sparkling pool of water surrounded by five or six trees.</p><p> </p><p>"i never knew this pond existed," she commented, using her ability to gracefully push the water into a gigantic, elegant swirl for a few short seconds. the gust of wind jostled their hair in a somewhat majestic way, her braid whipping through the air while kojo's bangs blew off his face. the whole thing was short-lived and wholeheartedly unnecessary and yet, for some reason, kojo noticed how it made her smile.</p><p> </p><p>"fucking show off," he grumbled beside her. </p><p> </p><p>"what? its fun!" she defended herself. when akatsuki looked in his direction she noticed him hooking his backpack strap on a low hanging tree branch. </p><p> </p><p>"this pond was used for the canoing lessons back in the day," kojo hoisted himself up the tree trunk, "but once they built the indoor pools, it's lost its purpose. i come here sometimes because i can get a break from the chaos of living with a bunch of freak shows."</p><p> </p><p>she watched him with a bit of amusement, "i don't think it lacks a purpose then,"</p><p> </p><p>"i guess," he shrugged, balancing his weight on a new pair of branches.</p><p> </p><p>"you make that look so easy," akatsuki observed. she shook off her backpack and took out her apple slices again.</p><p> </p><p>"what, do you not know how to climb a tree?"</p><p> </p><p>she turned to look at the water and settled down under the shade of the tree silently.</p><p> </p><p>"shut the fuck up, you've seriously never climbed a tree? doesn't every kid do that?!"</p><p> </p><p>"i wasn't really an outdoorsy child,"</p><p> </p><p>"no shit," kojo snorted, "wow, something the great akatsuki ito can't do."</p><p> </p><p>"i really am great, aren't i?" she teased, looking up at him with a grin.</p><p> </p><p>the purple haired boy suddenly stopped rifling through his backpack, his face contorting to show obvious irritation. he plucked a berry from the tree and with a fake taught smile, kojo threw the yellow berry at her. it bounced off the center of her forehead— the odd sensation making her laugh— and fell to the yellowing grass underneath her.</p><p> </p><p>they sat in the comfortable silence that comes with eating together for a few minutes. besides, kojo didn't really know what to say— he has never been good with emotions. but when he caught akatsuki staring at the water intently, as if it would give her answers to some array of unknown questions, he felt like he had to at least try.<br/>
and dammit, who did dakarai kojo abara think he was, just settling to try his hardest? if he's gonna try, he better succeed while he's at it. </p><p> </p><p>"hey."</p><p> </p><p>"hm?"</p><p> </p><p>"i'm sorry...for being an ass earlier, i didn't know."</p><p> </p><p>"it's okay, i know you don't mean any harm."</p><p> </p><p>he unwrapped his burrito with an unnecessary amount of attention, pensive.</p><p> </p><p>"listen, if you want to talk about it, we can."</p><p> </p><p>"you don't have to offer yourself like that just because i told you, i just don't want to be alone with my thoughts unless it's intentional, right now."<br/>

</p>
<p> </p><p>"when have i ever done anything because you told me to?"</p><p> </p><p>akatsuki was silent for a second, unable to find an answer to his question before realizing that was the answer.</p><p> </p><p>she let out a heavy sigh, "i'm going home this weekend."</p><p> </p><p>"yeah? that's good that you'll get to see her."</p><p> </p><p>"i mean, my parents didn't want to distract me from school so they waited to tell me, thinking she'd beat it in due time. but it's been months, kojo,"</p><p> </p><p>"so if they told you after such a long time, that means-"</p><p> </p><p>"it hit stage 4. and because it's pancreatic, there's a very low chance at survival. that's why i'm going home...i knew they meant well, but why did they wait this long to tell me?"</p><p> </p><p>he frowned and she continued.</p><p> </p><p>"i feel like all i can do now is watch,"</p><p> </p><p>"that was shitty on their end, to be honest— i mean, there's no denying it. they made a mistake and it fucking sucks. i'm sorry-"</p><p> </p><p>"it's weird when you apologize, stop it," she scrunched up her face, "especially because this isn't your fault." </p><p> </p><p>"fuck off, i know it's not my fault. i'm being nice because you're upset, either take it or leave it."<br/>
she brought her head up and tilted it on the tree trunk, glancing up in his direction. the sunlight filtered through the tree and made her one gold eye shine like the light source itself. they looked like something out of a movie.</p><p> </p><p>"thank you,"</p><p> </p><p>"don't make it weird," he grimaced but akatsuki ignored him.</p><p> </p><p>"look, i think just about everyone in the school knows by now that you are a disgustingly peaceful person...but this shit you're going through right now is fucking heavy, akatsuki. you can't possibly be okay with this so don't fake like you are."</p><p> </p><p>she closed her eyes to center her conflicted thinking. meanwhile, kojo untangled himself from the limbs of the tree and darted to the ground, landing with a hard thump against the grass.</p><p> </p><p>the wind user jolted back to reality and lazily watched as he laid down in the grass with his head by her knees. he was perpendicular to her with his hands tucked underneath his hair, looking up at the sky aimlessly. his signature mantle was removed from his shoulders and bunched up on the ground for his hands and head to rest on. kojo closed his eyes before speaking again, which allowed for his face to soften even more, the deep frown lines carved melting away slowly.</p><p> </p><p>"i get that you may not want to be so emotionally open because this our school and all, but unfortunately, we live here. sooner or later, you're gonna have to show an emotion or two in front of one of us, so there's really no point in holding it all in constantly. you can't possibly be truly peaceful if you keep everything bottled up."</p><p> </p><p>akatsuki remained quiet.</p><p> </p><p>"say what you're thinking, i'm not just talking for the good of my health over here."</p><p> </p><p>"when i was growing up and my parents were abroad, my grandmother would come over and babysit me and we used to make bracelets for hours on end," she smiled at the memory, "the one on your ankle reminded me of the one she made me for my sixth birthday. i broke it the day i got it," she dissolved into a light, pitiful laughter that was cut short as tears rolled to roll down her cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>"of course you broke it immediately," he snorted.</p><p> </p><p>"i'm gonna miss her a lot, kojo, she practically raised me. this weekend is going to be so hard. and i'm just...i'm so fucking mad they didn't tell me," her voice was the loudest i had been since he's known her, "i could've been visiting her every weekend in the hospital but now that i know the end, i feel cheated," she was crying wholeheartedly now as she tucked in her knees to rest her head on them.</p><p> </p><p>"she's not dead yet, right?"</p><p> </p><p>"no, and i know that but-"</p><p> </p><p>"so don't cut her life any shorter by acting like she already is," akatsuki looked over and his eyes were unwavering, he looked like he had just told her the most obvious thing ever.</p><p> </p><p>"you're surprisingly wise considering you're not exactly the poster child for emotional processing either, you know?" she teased, wiping her face with the side of her hand.</p><p> </p><p>"this is the last time i do anything for your dumbass, i swear."</p><p> </p><p>"we should go, i can sob later, but not if epistemala kills us for being late."</p><p> </p><p>"ugh, i cannot wait to graduate," kojo groaned as he got up. </p><p> </p><p>once they had their backpacks, he started walking back but she didn't move.</p><p> </p><p>he whipped around to face her, "what?! you just said we had to go-"</p><p> </p><p>akatsuki looked incredibly grateful, "thank you...seriously."</p><p> </p><p>he gnawed the inside of his cheek before huffing loudly and proceeding to walk, "i told you don't make it weird."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thanks for reading :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>vvv unfinished but fluffy as fuck bc they are drunk and tbh i just wrote this even though i don't think i'll make it canon lol its a lil too cliche for my liking</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"how are you handlin' your alcohol s'well? i thought you'd be a lighty," he pouted, talking slightly closer then usual.</p><p><br/>"tribe-related affairs usually end in a lot of heavy drinking and our alcohol is made in a much more... traditional way," she tasted the rich whiskey in her glass, "to me this is like a light, late-dinnertime beverage before the real drinking starts. still, i'm not a big drinker by my family's standards. they act like it's a test of strength sometimes,"</p><p><br/>"your family drinks '<em>traditional</em>' alcohol? th'fuck is that?"</p><p><br/>"moonshine," nadia reasoned, red face undermining her usually cold appearance, "it's more popular in the southern states,"</p><p><br/>"you grew up on moonshine?" hunter exclaimed, "who knew akatsuki was a hick?!" </p><p><br/>"akatsuki's a closeted hillbilly? but she's so eloquent!" jabari tried to argue in her defense but he was clearly just enjoying the joke as much as hunter.</p><p><br/>"i'm gonna go make sure we're not being too loud," she excused herself from the crowded room and as she opened the door someone grabbed her arm to pull her back inside.</p><p><br/>"do not walk out with the glass full of alcohol, dumbass," kojo warned. he set down his own cup on the nearby countertop and held his hand out to take hers.</p><p><br/>"thanks, i wasn't thinking,"</p><p><br/>"yeah, whatever," he huffed, "you're gonna go off campus, aren't you?"</p><p><br/>"no," she lied. to be completely honest, she was considering leaving to fly around the area just a bit but if he knew that he'd just get mad.</p><p><br/>"don't,"</p><p><br/>"you're clingier when you drink, you know that?"</p><p><br/>he instantly dropped her arm, "shuddup, i jus' don' want you bein' stupid per usual,"</p><p><br/>akatsuki giggled, "i'll be back in few minutes,"</p><p><br/>the door closed behind her and kojo scooped up his mixed drink. as he made his way back to the couch, his balance was becoming an increasingly difficult battle and he was having trouble focusing on a single thing. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>so this is being drunk?</em>
</p><p><br/>it wasn't like they depicted it in the movies, in fact, it was way more infuriating, he decided. he mastered walking as a toddler, why did he keep stumbling now?</p><p><br/>"yo, i think kojo's hit his second wave," someone commented as he opted for sitting on the floor somewhere near the couch instead.</p><p><br/>"bro, how much have you had?" danielle grinned, leaning over the back of the loveseat she was sharing with alessandra, paris, and selene.</p><p><br/>"the wine was boring and did nothing after 2 glasses, so i drank some of the vodka with lemonade," he explained, head lulled back casually.</p><p><br/>"how many shots of vodka did you have?"</p><p><br/>"how much is a shot, again?" he thought aloud.</p><p><br/>a few nearby classmates started laughing and making knowing glances that just screamed 'oh shit' and he knew he was in deep. </p><p><br/>"that glass is like 5 shots, my guy, you're absolutely fucked if got had one of those filled with vodka," juniper answered.</p><p>"i can handle it, besides they were mixed," he suddenly felt the need to defend himself.</p><p><br/>"hey, he's with us, he'll be fine, we'll take care of him if need be," octavian smiled, too pure for this class of wild animals right now. they nodded and agreed, satisfied enough with that solution, while kojo just ignored them to drink some more.</p><p><br/>"hey, let's do something, i'm bored," </p><p><br/>"got any ideas?" oliver asked.</p><p><br/>"mmmm, how about truth or drink?"</p><p><br/>they made a messy circle of couches and love seats for the ten or so people who wanted to play, which somehow included kojo despite his protests and sitting on the floor. after a few hard questions being dodged with drinking, it was finally bristol's turn.</p><p><br/>"i pick kojo,"</p><p><br/>it fell silent with anticipation.</p><p><br/>"what," he glared, drinking from the cup with a smirk despite not needing to, "you know i'mma answer it either way, i'm not a bitch. i'm not too scared to be honest like the rest of ya' so far,"</p><p><br/>bristol's smile was just as challenging as his, "would you ever date akatsuki?"</p><p><br/>he throat seized, making him choke on his drink, "fucking, pardon?!"</p><p><br/>"you <em>just</em> said you'd answer it either way! don't bitch out now, tough guy!"</p><p><br/>"how did you not see this question coming? she's the only person you tolerate," yvonne giggled, her voice more obnoxious than usual.</p><p><br/>"both of you can shut the fuck up," he gulped down more of drink, knowing full well that he should be slowing down his alcohol intake. his basic motor skills were worsening by the minute but so long as his ass was planted, he didn't see the problem. besides, the drink mel made was really good.</p><p><br/>"she's not ugly," he finally muttered.</p><p><br/>"oh?!" zane raised his brows, intrigued by something other than himself for once. it seemed like the whole group was far more interested in this than any of the other questions.</p><p><br/>"but that doesn't answer the question," bristol tapped her finger on her cup.</p><p><br/>"suck my ass, does that answer your dumb question?"</p><p><br/>"he can't answer a question he doesn't know the answer to himself," paris added, further making his blood boil.</p><p><br/>"you can suck my ass too, paris. why d'you weirdos care about this kinda stuff?"</p><p><br/>"it's not my business but since we're here: i'm kind of curious myself," finn shrugged.</p><p>"you too?" kojo sighed and pointed in finn's direction, "listen, if you wanna date her, go ahead, i don' fuckin' care. i'm not her keeper or whatever."</p><p><br/>finn shook his head, "no, not like that! i just think mr. class president is wondering the same thing,"</p><p><br/>"is that the dude she started training with all the time? is he a senior?" danica, who was quiet this whole time, chipped in. </p><p><br/>"yeah, jackson miles, i'm pretty sure since he's the student body president, he has to be the top ranked fourth year, too. akatsuki only has him beat in challenges because she's undefeated, but other than that he's in a different league altogether from the rest of us." someone else responded.</p><p><br/>"he's probably done more challenges, too, so when you put it in perspective..." another chimed.</p><p><br/>the gossip of jackson and akatsuki and kojo made him want to implode. he didn't want to bring the attention back to the pesky question he was asked either, but why they couldn't move on to him asking the the next question was beyond him. just when he was about to interrupt by yelling at them to shut up, he felt a presence behind him. </p><p><br/>"what's with the circle?" akatsuki's voice cut through the chaos and they all stopped talking immediately, "did i interrupt something? we weren't too loud by the way, the walls really are soundproof,"</p><p><br/>"we were playing a stupid game and it's over now because they're too drunk to keep playing, you didn't interrupt shit," kojo replied, finishing off his drink.</p><p>"oh, okay," she watched him set the empty glass back on the table with attentive eyes. in a movement that was too quick for kojo to notice, she squatted down next to him and suddenly her face was right in front of his.</p><p>she was saying something but he was struggling to focus on her words and their meaning— he assumed it was another basic task that the alcohol was sabotaging.</p><p>
  <em>i'm not drinking anymore of that shit tonight, for fucks sake, i'm a mess. get it together.</em>
</p><p>he pursed his lips into a pout and tried to listen even harder, "i can't hear you, you're mumbling quietly," kojo lied.</p><p>although she's pretty sure she's never mumbled a day in her life, she started over and made sure she was louder than before.</p><p>...but akatsuki was so close that her own breath was hitting his face as she spoke and he normally hates that sensation but for some reason he didn't seem to mind. and then she also was looking at him like he was important and he simply enjoyed the feeling that gave him. it felt like his chest was too light, like it might float away or like he's on the big drop of a rollercoaster.</p><p>
  <em>maybe this is a heart attack. or just being drunk still</em>
</p><p>"-had a lot and you're face is really red too."</p><p>"yeah, that's definitely the alcohol's fault," nadia snorted from her seat. kojo snapped back into his sanity, as much as he could under these conditions, and glared at their classmate.</p><p>"shuddup before i throw you outta the window," he targeted nadia, who just flicked him off and stuck out her tongue in return. </p><p>"i feel like i'm missing something huge," the ito girl looked around cautiously and stood back up.</p><p><br/>"hey akatsuki?" chirped bristol and kojo's eyes were already rolling out of his head for the billionth time that night. whatever she had to say to akatsuki tonight couldn't be good, not after what he said in their little game.</p><p><br/>she continued, "what do you think of jackson miles? he's been hanging around you a bunch recently and he's kind of a big deal, you know, mr. president and all. and, you know...it's not often that you see an upperclassmen training with an underclassmen, they usually dismiss us pretty easily. so how'd that happen?" she asked innocently.</p><p><br/>"oh, jackson? he's kind of eccentric like that, he doesn't do 'normal' well nor does he ever intend to, i think. that said, we have a few things in common and i think that's why he wanted to train with me at first, but i'm not sure since we met by coincidence. he's a good guy, but his fighting style is very... aggressive, both verbally and physically. to be honest, he scares me as an opponent. but that's why i train with him, so i won't be scared. he frequently says i'm interesting and that's why he trains with me, so that's our arrangement, i suppose. we'll probably keep practicing so long as it's beneficial for both of us, but that's really all there is to it. why do you ask?"</p><p><br/>kojo leaned against her left leg like a cat and scrolled through his timeline on twitter. she looked down at him and didn't think much of it— seeing as he was clearly more clingy than usual, it only made sense.</p><p><br/>"to be blunt, we all thought he was tryna get with you," juniper said without a hint of remorse. </p><p><br/>"you all think jackson likes me?!"</p><p><br/>"pretty much," finn nodded.</p><p><br/>"i promise you, it's not like that at all, neither of us think of each other like that," akatsuki clarified.</p><p><br/>"good, you're probably too good for him anyways," bristol commented, making the ito girl smile.</p><p><br/>"this class is such a sappy family, it's exhausting caring for each and every one of you this much," nadia groaned, finishing off her drink, "but good, i didn't like him."</p><p><br/>akatsuki nudged kojo so she could refill her glass to the halfway point. she picked up a water bottle on her way back from the kitchen area and then joined him on the dark green carpet. she wasn't as close as before and kojo thanked the heavens for that.</p><p><br/>"here, drink this," </p><p><br/>"don't tell me what to do," he hiccuped and took the water anyways, "you're still drinking?"</p><p><br/>"i just really like whiskey, i haven't had it in a while. you can stop trying to talk right too, you look funny trying to formulate full sentences." </p><p><br/>"gonna kill your liver,"</p><p><br/>"i'm part immortal, remember? i'm a little tougher than most,"</p><p><br/>"oh..."</p><p><br/>"i promise i'll be okay, drink the water,"</p><p><br/>he took a sip and frowned, "i wanna lay down, where's my jacket?" he grumbled.</p><p><br/>she gently tugged on his shoulder until his head was resting in her lap. when he realized what just happened, he readjusted himself so his legs were stretched out. she did one of her favorite things to do when she discovers a new side of kojo and took note of his ever-changing eye color. they were the color of autumn pumpkins and subtly darkened to scarlet on the edges of each iris. </p><p><br/>he looked up at her, "the room's spinning an' i can't walk right. i don' get it, i was jus' fine earlier,"</p><p><br/>"you're drank a lot in a short period of time, so it hit you like a wave, i bet."</p><p><br/>he hiccuped again, "i didn' think it'd be this weird, th' movies lied and i hate havin' th' hiccups,"</p><p><br/>"then you should drink more water," she giggled, her own buzz finally hitting its peak and his childish behavior amusing her.</p><p><br/>akatsuki drank her whiskey slowly while she glanced around the room: for the most part, the rest of the class was either playing charades by the television or lazily talking on the rearranged couches. it didn't feel like it was 2:39 in the morning, but she decided she had reason to doubt her judgment anyways. </p><p><br/>kojo's phone, which had fallen out of his pants pocket and was now by her hand, vibrated with a notification.</p><p><br/>"you got a text, do you want me to read it to you?" </p><p><br/>"who's it from?"</p><p><br/>she tapped the screen, "ziggy...oh, and now you have one from your mom too,"</p><p><br/>his expression grew curious and he reached for the phone, swiping to open the first text message.</p><p>
  <em>from: ziggy</em>
  <br/>
  <em>ik you hate texts but we haven't talked in a while what's up</em>
</p><p>
  <em>from: mom</em>
  <br/>
  <em>forgot to text you this earlier but, your sister made the honor roll! she worked really hard this semester, so congratulate her!</em>
</p><p>it took him a few minutes longer than it should have to read the texts and as he started typing a reply to ziggy, he realized he effectively can't type.</p><p><br/>he handed the phone to akatsuki, "tell ziggy i'm drunk, an' i'll text back my mom tomorrow,"</p><p><br/>"what's the magic word?" she joked in a too-happy tone.</p><p><br/>"do it...please" he rolled his eyes and she blinked.</p><p><br/>"i didn't actually think you'd say it, oh,"</p><p><br/>after typing out the message and sending it, she rested the phone on his stomach, "done."</p><p>
  <em>to: ziggy </em>
  <br/>
  <em>im drunk</em>
</p><p>it buzzed again a few seconds later with another two texts from ziggy and she read them to kojo.</p><p>
  <em>from: ziggy </em>
  <br/>
  <em>congrats you want a prize</em>
</p><p>
  <em>from: ziggy </em>
  <br/>
  <em>you have a facetime option AND a send video option bitch i said WHATS UP</em>
</p><p>"he sounds like you," she snickered.</p><p><br/>"why d'ya think he's m'friend?"</p><p>"okay but...we're friends and i don't sound like you," she countered.</p><p><br/>"you're different, ziggy is..." he settled on the only description he could give at that moment, "ziggy."</p><p><br/>"oh," she pondered what 'different' meant but set it aside in her mind for now.</p><p>the next two minutes were spent with kojo explaining, in a drunken slur, how he's been to his phone camera and accidentally panning the camera in a hundred different directions. he mentioned how much he had to drink and let akatsuki hi as well before he sent it, without thinking twice.</p><p>
  <em>to: ziggy</em>
  <br/>
  <em>[video file]</em>
</p><p>"drink some more water,"</p><p><br/>he complied and then stood up much too fast for his sobriety level, "i'm gonna go piss,"</p><p>"watch your step,"</p><p><br/>"'m not a kid," kojo's protest fell on deaf ears however, as he stumbled literally two seconds later.</p><p><br/>"you're not a kid, but right now you might be a comedian," she got up and took his phone, "c'mon, once you break the seal you'll sober up faster,"</p><p><br/>"...i've never even seen a seal, 'tsuki" he murmured, his filter completely gone to the alcohol.</p><p><br/>"no? do you want to?"</p><p><br/>"no, they're ugly and loud."</p><p><br/>she laughed, "okay,"</p><p>after using the restroom— or in her case, ordering a pizza— his next phase hit: drowsiness. so they walked back to his room and she left him there to change into his pajamas while she got his water and jacket that he left. when he was done changing his shirt and was <em>trying</em> to step into his shorts, he checked for a text from ziggy.</p><p>
  <em>from: ziggy</em>
  <br/>
  <em>you are bloody hammered i'm saving this forever lmaoooo lmk how that hangover goes</em>
</p><p><em>from: ziggy</em><br/><em>also hi akasookie or however tf you spell it: you single? um just asking for a friend....named kojo </em>👀</p><p>
  <em>from: ziggy </em>
  <br/>
  <em>actually fuck that, he's had his time, i'm asking for MYSELF hello queen</em>
</p><p>
  <em>from: ziggy</em>
  <br/>
  <em>srsly tho i miss you bud you gotta visit sometime soon. i'll text you what's up w me tomorrow when i know you'll actually remember it ha</em>
</p><p>"i can't stand you," he grinned at the series of texts before typing out a response.</p><p>
  <em>to: ziggy </em>
  <br/>
  <em>zhe left me so i couls change lmao stfu ill talk to u tomorow clown</em>
</p><p>there was a set of soft knocks on the door followed by a "hey, it's me," and he settled for sleeping in his boxers.</p><p>"wait, do i hav'ta wear pants?"</p><p><br/>"huh? what are you talking about?"</p><p><br/>"i'm warm, i wanna sleep in my boxers. my mom always said 'ask before ya' flash'."</p><p><br/>"oh, well you're not naked right?"</p><p><br/>"d'you know wha' boxers are, dumbass?"</p><p><br/>"dakarai," she leveled with him flatly.</p><p><br/>"my dick's covered, you can come in or stay in the hallway, i don' care."</p><p><br/>"i'm coming in," she opened the door and he was sitting on his bed in a black hoodie and plain red boxers, watching a wrestling match on his television.</p><p><br/>akatsuki snorted, "maybe you're warm because you're wearing a hoodie and your thermostat is set to burn like the flames of hell. not to mention, you're drunk."</p><p><br/>she handed him the water bottle, which was refilled, and set the jacket on his desk.</p><p><br/>"i'm too lazy t'fix it, i'll jus' get cold later,"</p><p><br/>"i guess...where do you want this jacket?"</p><p><br/>"the desk's fine, thanks for grabbin' it."</p><p><br/>"no problem,"</p><p><br/>she found a mirror by the side of his closet, propped up against the wall.</p><p><br/>he yelled at the screen, "thas' fuckin' illegal! this ref is shit, bro!"</p><p><br/>"your room feels bigger than a regular dorm,"</p><p><br/>"it's 'cause it's on the corner, they're bigger by a foot or two, i think,"</p><p><br/>"thought so,"</p><p><br/>"m'hungry,"</p><p><br/>"i ordered a medium hawaiian pizza because i always get super hungry when i'm up past 2,"</p><p><br/>he looked away from the tv to find her unbraiding her hair in his mirror. she had taken off her light hoodie and hung it on the door handle, thus revealing the black long sleeve workout top she had on underneath. it was fitted and cropped, which was a lot for the modest woman, so kojo knew she had to have been burning up too. still, akatsuki being, even slightly, less modest in front of him felt like an important a sign of comfort, especially considering how 'ladylike' ideals (like modesty) were probably drilled into her head as a child. </p><p><br/>"i didn' know you had abs," he thought aloud, "that probably made you uncomfortable, sorry, i know you're not like that."</p><p><br/>"was i supposed to tell you?" she laughed, "and i'm not like what?"</p><p><br/>"i dunno, you're proper and shit, i'm probably not supposed to see you like..." he struggled for the right words, "fuck it, you know what i'm trying to say, most of the class walks around the halls half naked and shit and you don't, probably the whole goddess thing,"</p><p><br/>"actually, as a tribe, we don't care about modesty at all. in fact, i was raised thinking nothing of seeing someone the same age naked," she snorted, "i only learned about that cultural difference before i came to the states so i wouldn't stand out or offend someone. i know now that not everyone is comfortable with seeing other people like that outside of the tribe so i try extra hard to be polite. also, i have a giant scar on my chest that i was told might look bad if seen by a lot of people,"</p><p><br/>"wha' d'you mean <em>bad</em>?"</p><p><br/>she lifted her shirt over her head but left the sleeves on so it was stretched across her lower arms. she moved so he could see her front side better.</p><p><br/>"its hidden under my bra a bit but," one of her fingers traced the thick dark mark across her skin from left to right, "it goes along my collarbone and then drops a little to the right of my sternum," she looked at it in the mirror before putting her shirt back on, "my doctor in the states thought i was abused, so i try to keep it hidden to avoid that misunderstanding,"</p><p><br/>"you barely missed your heart,"</p><p><br/>"yeah, it definitely could've been way worse,"</p><p><br/>"how'd you get it?"</p><p><br/>"i tried sword fighting for a year or two,"</p><p><br/>"you were a fuckin' menace to raise,"</p><p><br/>"i was clumsy,"</p><p><br/>"i think you mean deadly," he turned his attention back towards the television and she detangled her hair.</p><p><br/>"anyways, i was saying it's funny that it came across like that. honestly if anything, i was raised with too little modesty, by most standards. i mean, i was 10 years old telling ariana her tits were uneven, so telling me i have abs is no big deal to me, no need to apologize." she smiled and he looked back at her like she was crazy.</p><p><br/>"yeah, you were definitely a demon child,"</p><p><br/>"you have them too...abs, i mean,"</p><p><br/>his face felt a rush of warmth, and he frowned, "how d'you know?"</p><p><br/>she whipped around, obviously questioning his sincerity, "dude, i've seen you shirtless more times than i can count, are you kidding me?"</p><p><br/>"i was joking," he lied, "<em>dude</em>,"</p><p><br/>"yeah, okay," </p><p><br/>"i think the americans are rubbing off on you, underage drinking <em>and</em> calling people dude? snobby goddess akatsuki would never do anything so scandalous,"</p><p><br/>"i told you, the drinking thing is a cultural difference," she rolled her eyes, "anyways, you have your own accent to be worrying about, mr. jersey shore,"</p><p><br/>"shuddup, i don't sound like those clowns," his protest turned into a childish pout in her direction. </p><p><br/>kojo went back to being silent for a few minutes.</p><p><br/>"this fight sucks," the boy with green tipped hair muttered. she didn't know how to reply so she didn't but instead found her glass of the night and took a swig.<br/>"you're still on that?"</p><p><br/>"my drink?" </p><p><br/>he nodded, "yeah, you're slow,"</p><p><br/>"i'm pacing myself so i stay more sober than you,"</p><p><br/>"sounds boring,"</p><p><br/>akatsuki checked her phone, "food's here, i'm gonna fly down and get it so i don't have to pass security," she explained before propping open his balcony doors.</p><p><br/>"'kay,"</p><p><br/>she climbed the rail and stepped on the wave of wind she created.</p><p>-like an hour later ill write some paragraph saying that here this is a wip ok-</p><p>"what'd ziggy say about your intelligent video?"</p><p>"dumb stuff," kojo tossed her his phone, "the passcode is 1746. don't send anything,"</p><p>after a bit of tapping and swiping she found the texts and snorted, "he's pretty blunt, i see why he's friends with you,"</p><p><br/>"told you...i'm taking the last slice,"</p><p><br/>"can you tell him i said 'thank you and i'm flattered', when you talk to him?"</p><p><br/>"i guess, if i don't forget,"</p><p><br/>she hummed, "how long have you guys been friends?"</p><p><br/>"since we we're 10, i think,"</p><p><br/>"that's sweet," the older girl awed, "i never had that, being homeschooled and all,"</p><p><br/>he didn't really know how to respond to that but he didn't have to because she corrected herself, "actually i have ariana and maxwell. they were hired as my driver and nanny but they became some of my closest friends. nowadays, ariana cooks for me when she's feeling up for it and maxwell is basically just my lazy security guard, i don't mind though because i never liked having people wait on me anyways."</p><p><br/>"what do they do now?"</p><p><br/>"little chores here and there, but honestly, as staff they barely have a purpose anymore, they're family at this point, even though my parents deny it."<br/>he laid down and looked at his texts again, "i helped my mom pick out my sister's name when she was pregnant right after my dad had died. it was something to take our mind off of the shitty situation. i'm honestly shocked my mom didn't break down more often than she did, during that period, she's a really strong person for that. anyways we named her kande because it means 'the firstborn female child' and her middle name is dayo, which means the arrival of joy." he was letting himself just talk aimlessly.<br/>"kande dayo and dakarai kojo have the same first letters but flipped,"</p><p><br/>"yeah, my dad's name started with a 'k' and my mom's starts with a 'd',"</p><p><br/>"names are really important to your family," she noted and he hummed in agreement.</p><p><br/>"she was so bubbly and active that she was a fucking chaotic child, though. my mom said she was like me in that respect,"</p><p>akatsuki snorted, "i'd believe that,"</p><p><br/>"shuddup. i think, in a perfect world she would've been one of those daddy's girls, you lknow? she's always been a bit spoiled by our mom and its exhausting honestly, dad's probably wrapped around her finger too," he cackled, "but when she was 10, she stopped being sweet, which she barely was to begin with, and she stopped caring about a lot of things...she'd get into trouble at school and then come home and avoid talking to us. i did what i could to help keep my mom's peace of mind during this and kept tabs on kande's detentions and letters from school and even tried to steer her in the right direction myself. i pushed off applying to lepage for 2 years because of how delicate the situation was. i mean, my mom's been through a lot and she already had enough on her plate with two kids and two jobs, she didn't need to know her daughter was more of a delinquent than she thought and try and figure that out, too. but i was running out of time and kande was still in her phase, so i finally just applied sophomore year. as soon as i got accepted, i sat kande down and told her that she had three months to turn herself around or else i'd have to stay home another year and kick her ass myself. i apologized for letting it go on so long and not really doing much and shit but she kinda knew that i was going to fillet her ass if i wasn't able to go to lepage because of her."</p><p>
  <em>he knocked on her door, and she replied, "busy,"</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"are you changing?"</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"...no,"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>he opened the door and sat on her bed. she was at her desk using his old laptop for online gaming again.</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"what," she glared.</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"i got into lepage hero academy."</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"you didn't tell me you applied...that's like your dream school right?"</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"yeah,"</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"cool, is that it?"</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"look, up until now, i've been helping you hide some of this stuff from mom and i've been the one telling her about your school problems and shitty grades only when i absolutely had to. i've been trying to keep the peace in this house for two years now. but honestly, i've failed you as an older brother because while doing that, i've only been enabling your shitty behavior."</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>she looked at her hands in her lap uneasily.</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>kojo continued, "you know how much i want to go to this school in america, kande. but, i can't if you don't pull your shit together, this whole situation is our mess now and i'm not dropping it on her for anything. you might not care too much, but the woman who birthed you, the woman who puts food on our plates every night, the woman who loves us unconditionally, she's been through a lot in her lifetime and hasn't had a singular moment to relax since her husband, our dad, died. that's why i refuse to make her life any harder than it already is, that's why i've helped you hide any of this from her in the first place."</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"thank you,"</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"i just told you it wasn't for you, but you're welcome."</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>he sighed, "i love you, but i need to be a hardass because i've let too much slide already. if she knew about the stealing, the starting of fights, and the real reason why i pick you up from the school every day; she'd spin it all on herself and think she failed you as a mother. i can't let your carelessness hurt her like that, i love her too much. so i'm giving you 3 months to pull it together or else i'll cancel my enrollment at lepage. please don't make me do that. so if that means another year of staying home to keep the peace, then i'll turn down my scholarship and do it..."</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>his tone softened, "i'm sorry you never met our dad...i figured that's why you've been acting out like this for a while now."</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>tears were falling from her face and into her lap, he hung his head as if his thoughts were to heavy to hold, "i want him back too...i would give anything for that. but kande, the kind of stuff you're doing won't change the facts of the situation. you need to talk this shit out with someome, i mean," he looked up at her, "do you want someone to talk to, aside from me and mom? we can find you a therapist, i have some money saved up from-"</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"no, i-it's okay...i mean, have you, right?"</em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>"don't be silly, of course i'll always there for you.'"</em>
</p><p>"wow,"</p><p><br/>"she knew how badly i wanted to be a hero and i think she just needed that wake up call, but still... i knew there was a chance she'd stay the same and i'd be stuck raising my 11 year old sister, instead of becoming a hero. i'm glad she made the right choice. watching her make new friends and get the grades i knew she could on her tests was..."<br/>"rewarding,"</p><p><br/>"yeah, <em>rewarding</em>... i'm gonna send her something for making the honor roll this semester, she's worked hard for it."</p><p><br/>"you're a good brother for having her back like that, dakarai."</p><p><br/>he made a satisfied hum and tossed the empty box on the floor.</p><p><br/>"tell her i said congratulations," akatsuki added.</p><p><br/>"all she talks about is your hair whenever i mention you,"</p><p><br/>"how does she know what my hair looks like?"</p><p><br/>"when we took that class picture at the beginning of the year i sent it to her because she wanted proof that i didn't get suspended yet. and then she proceeded to ask about every single person in the class with my mom on facetime that night."</p><p><br/>"oh...aw, that's sweet, my parents think my classmates are stepping stones."</p><p><br/>"that's good," he nodded.</p><p><br/>"my mom likes you, though. but she hasn't met you so that's probably why,"</p><p><br/>"bitch," he casually jabbed back at her insult.</p><p><br/>"and you got me to use my spear again, which they couldn't even do, so she probably wants to adopt you at this point,"</p><p><br/>"how would i do as an ito warrior, what rank would i be?"</p><p><br/>"mmm, four"</p><p><br/>"isn't three the lowest?"</p><p><br/>she nodded with a grin.</p><p><br/>"fuck you," he laughed earnestly, catching both of them by surprise, "i can't believe you've got everyone thinking you're so sweet and kind when you're actually stubborn as hell and a flat-out bitch when you wanna be."</p><p><br/>"i'm not a bitch,"</p><p><br/>"you just told me i'm a shit fighter, 'tsuki,"</p><p><br/>"because you can handle it, i wouldn't do that to someone who couldn't,"</p><p><br/>"oh? a nice bitch? okay!"</p><p><br/>"i feel like this is misogynistic somehow,"</p><p><br/>"my mom would knock me out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if i was a woman-hater,"</p><p><br/>"what'd your sister do?"</p><p><br/>"probably record the shit and upload it to youtube,"</p><p><br/>the older girl laughed and adjusted her position on his bed so she was more comfortable.</p><p><br/>"hey," he was looking her more intently than before now.</p><p><br/>"what's wrong?"</p><p><br/>"earlier you said that jackson's really aggressive and that he scares you..."</p><p><br/>"when we're fighting, yeah,"</p><p><br/>"i don't think that's right, even in a fight. if he's abusing his seniority over you and treating you like shit, then that's seriously fucked up and if you won't say something, i will-"</p><p><br/>"wait, stop, we're not in the same page here-"</p><p><br/>"fucking clearly, i hate the dude,"</p><p><br/>"i didn't mean it like that, i'd never- wait, you hate jackson, how come?"</p><p><br/>"he's two-faced and has got everyone up his ass because he's the class president. why should i like him?"</p><p><br/>"that's...i mean, i guess that's a very <em>you</em> answer," she laughed, "he's not a bad guy, not that you'd care."</p><p><br/>"exactly," </p><p><br/>"and it's nice being on good terms with another immortal because he understands what it's like and doesn't expect a thing from me in regards to that,"</p><p><br/>"again, none of that fucking matters if he's treating you like shit 20 seconds later,"</p><p><br/>"dakarai, i didn't mean it in that way at all, he's not that kind of aggressive or intimidating, so just listen to me for a second. i'd never keep training with someone like that, nothing is beneficial enough to warrant that kind of behavior. jackson's never physically hurt me outside of practice and he's never said anything out of line, i promise. when i said that i meant that he's very in-your-face, kind of similar to you, actually."</p><p><br/>kojo frowned harder and she continued, "he throws around a lot of challenges and tries to provoke me with tons of snarky comments but he's never actually offended me. he's a trash talker, like you. and physically his the same way, he attacks a lot instead of being defensive and he's not predictable, which is a hard combo. he uses a bunch of complex manuvers and hard slams that most people are too elevated to even consider using. he's much like a street fighter, crude and unafraid. that's why i said he scares me, because i'm not like that at all, and it's even crazier for me to think that someone raised in a family like mine can be so different without sacrificing strength. i think this is exactly what it means to fight an immortal. he has no limit, i feel like i'm learning how to compete with a full-blown monster." </p><p><br/>"...that still shouldn't scare you. if he's a monster because he's an immortal with some skill, what does that make you?"</p><p><br/>"a scared monster," she joked.</p><p><br/>"you're scared because you put him on this pedestal and that's why you talk about him like that, like he's some unbeatable master sensei from a movie. street fighter or goddess, that reverence isn't gonna do shit for you in a battle. whatever he can do, you can do— and you can probably do it better. isn't your bloodline the strongest of the four? where's that long hair ito warrior pride you told me about?" he shook her braid for effect and she smiled.</p><p><br/>he kept going, "you're letting a...<em>nadiata</em>?"</p><p><br/>"yeah, a nadiata," </p><p><br/>"you're letting a nadiata walk all over you! what was that training from birth for? he doesn't even claim the name any more, now what is he? a has-been?"</p><p><br/>"stop, you sound like my dad," she giggled, "just cause he dropped the name doesn't mean he lost the blood,"</p><p><br/>"blah, blah, blah, excuses, excuses."</p><p><br/>"you're being childish," she couldn't stop laughing at his silliness at the moment and it made her glad they were friends.</p><p><br/>"so are you! you're letting a little schoolgirl crush on this dumbass fuck with your fighting, he can't be that good, 'tsuki," he gloated.</p><p><br/>"he's at the top of his class, dakarai!" she argued back, indignant, "what do you <em>mean</em>, 'he can't be that good'?! this is fucking lepage, of course he's <em>that good</em>!"</p><p><br/>"did i hit a nerve? just how much do you like this guy?" kojo kept teasing and akatsuki flopped back on the bed.</p><p><br/>"you're never drinking again, so long as i'm alive,"</p><p><br/>"hush, queen of whiskey, your drunk ass will forget that by morning,"</p><p><br/>she caught herself laughing again, "weren't you worried about me just a few minutes ago?"</p><p><br/>"look, what you need to worry about is getting over your little crush on that fake immortal so you can beat him."</p><p><br/>"when did you become my coach?"<br/><br/></p><p>.....um idk </p>
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